Love at First Fall
by StillintheSky
Summary: His childhood was filled with bitter memories of a father who scorned him. Darkness and anger became his very nature from all the disappointment in his life. He was cold and merciless, especially with his new rival, the goddess of war. He hated her even before he met her, but as time passed, he became confused. What did he feel for her? Ares & Athena. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Hey, so It's been awhile since I've written fan fiction; I've been so busy with school I rarely even got to read for entertainment However, recently I found time to write again and my latest obsession is Greek mythology and fairy tales. I just felt like writing this story about Ares & Athena. Please R&R, whether you like it or not. If people like it I will update! Thanks for reading : )

**Disclaimer: I do not own references in Greek mythology—including names and places.**

The Rival

He did not know it at first. Of course he hadn't, for he was never invited to festivities on Mount Olympus nor did he ever want to be there. He would rather go to Gaia to watch the worthless strife among mortals than to be in the presence of a father who hated him. So it goes without saying that Ares went about for quite some time before he realized that he had a new sister—and a formidable rival.

The news finally reached his ears when a jealous Aphrodite burst into his temple cursing incoherently. It did not take her long to spill the details about Athena's arrival. The new goddess had made a grand entrance, springing from Zeus' open head—splendidly dressed in combat gear, bright golden hair flaring from under a bronze helmet as she landed gracefully onto the marble floor. In her hands she held a spear and a sword, every bit as a goddess of war ought to look like. Aphrodite made sure to point out that the girl looked brazen and unattractive, but Ares was no longer listening. Blood rushed to his head and he felt like his head would split. He could not believe Zeus made her a goddess of war knowing that that was his dominion! He had been the god of war ever since he can remember and now a mere slip of a girl was trying to take his right away.

"…father completely ignored me! I was his favorite daughter, but ever since she came into the picture, he only dotes on her. That's just so wrong," Aphrodite wailed. She wanted Ares' attention and she knew that talking about their father's affection would snap him out of his reverie.

Ares clenched his fists and growled, "I could care less who he favors."

Though he tried to act indifferent, his blood was hot under his skin. From the dawn of his existence, he had never once gotten Zeus' approval. The god of the sky scorned him since the day of his birth, refusing to acknowledge him as his "son" no matter what he did. When he was small, he did not know better and desperately sought his father's affection, but soon he learned that no amount of effort would change the way Zeus looked at him. He may be his mother's son, but he will never be able to call Zeus father. Yet here this new "sister," he smirked, had become Zeus' favorite. Without trying, she had everything he always wanted. And now she wanted to share in his title. He slammed his fist into the wall and held it there. There was no way he was going to let that happen. He'll make her pay for messing with him.

As he closed his eyes and smiled, he heard Aphrodite yelp and gasp at his wound. Blood was dripping from his torn knuckles but he didn't care. The blood only made him more excited—this was war, and he always loved a good battle.

She had gotten used to her new home. Olympus was breathtaking, a beautiful kingdom on clouds. The pillars of the great hall went for miles into the great ceiling, which was painted with a mural depicting the triumphant war against the Titans. Light fell upon the great building during the day when the sun god drove his chariot across the sky; by night, candles alighted the palace halls, beautiful against the twinkling stars.

Because she was blessed with boundless wisdom, Zeus welcomed her onto the council. Athena appreciated that the god admired her and gave her a seat in the ranks, but she found that she could not feel happy. Olympus, while being extremely beautiful, was also very unexciting. Her soul yearned to be free, for she was a wild spirit. She was the goddess of war and wisdom, and rightly so. Although it seemed natural for her to be into politics, she was not. She would much rather go hunting in the forest or sparing in the courtyard. Yet she could find no companion in her favorite activities. The other young goddesses were simpering fools, wrapped up in their beauty and too busy trying to seduce gods and mortals alike. She felt that there was too much romantic silliness in the heavens. She could not conceal her disappointment that Zeus himself was an infamous lover in Olympus, constantly bringing new women into his chambers, siring here a bastard and there another. She pitied Hera who was goddess of matrimony and yet could not find happiness in her union with Zeus. Athena swore to remain chaste, never to indulge in love, for her wisdom told her that romance among the immortals was as insignificant as a leaf blown in the wind.

At that moment, an unwanted guest came into her peripheral vision. She turned her head to and raised an eyebrow when she recognized the goddess of love's figure. Her sister was a beautiful woman, her skin glowing like dew and the movements her curvaceous body made were seductive to many men. She also had a head full of golden hair and blue eyes that swallowed her victim whole. Athena only scoffed at this beauty for she was no man and could only see Aphrodite as a wanton woman, a disgrace to the female race. What could she be up to now, Athena wondered.

Aphrodite smiled sweetly and spoke lyrically, "Athena, you look awfully bored."

Athena narrowed her eyes, "Well, if you're basing that off the fact that I'm not chasing wildly after any man, then I have to say you're wrong. I am perfectly fine."

The blue-eyed beauty laughed prettily. "Of course not, I'm sure even if you were to chase a man, he would run away, thinking you'd flay him with your spear and use his skin as wall decoration. But aside from that, why would you want to waste your immortal days in this dreary place?"

Athena rolled her eyes. Everyone knew that she was stuck here because of Zeus' overprotectiveness. Her father refused to let her leave Olympus and she did not know why. Sure, she was currently the youngest immortal, but she was not a fool. When she was born, she was full grown, completely decked in her bronze armor. As if she needed protecting. This imprisonment was becoming stifling. She thought she could pass the time shooting birds and improving her combat skills, but she knew she could not remain like this forever. The goddess of war was never meant to be locked up in a beautiful castle. Thinking about it made her depressed again and she glared at Aphrodite.

"Listen, why don't you just find a way to slip out when he's not looking? The problem with you is that you're not trying. You don't dare lift a finger to him and that's why you're stuck here wasting away. I'm telling you, it's a big and beautiful world beyond these clouds. And mortal men are so much fun," she said, playing with her hair coyly. "You must go to Gaia. You won't regret it."

Athena won't deny that she always wanted to go to the land of the mortals. She heard stories about the people there, but she had never seen a mortal herself. Of course, she hadn't seen a lot of things. "It's not like I haven't tried. Hermes is always following me everywhere. It's not like I can simply fly out of Olympus without him trailing after me."

The goddess of love shook her head and smiled, "I know a secret way of getting out of here. I can help you lose Hermes easily. Are you up for it?"

Athena was still suspicious. "Why would you help me?"

Aphrodite returned her gaze from under her long lashes, "Because I want you to know that being a virgin goddess is a waste. I am the goddess of love after all, and let's just say I hold a certain pride in my matchmaking skills. Even Athena you cannot escape the power of love."

Athena wasn't sure what to make of Aphrodite's dramatic reason for helping her. Something nagged at her that while her sister seemed innocent enough, there was something slightly menacing about the whole set up. She shook the feeling away. It didn't matter—if Aphrodite wanted to mess with her, she would go down easily. Besides, she was extremely curious about this secret pathway out of Olympus.

"I can't say I buy your love philosophy, but I'm very much interested in getting out of here. It's a deal."

"Excellent. Meet me at the paladin in the west garden tomorrow when the first star is visible."

Leave it up to Aphrodite to be romantic about scheduling a time. She'll just have to go there early. Who could possibly time the rise of a star anyway? She rolled her eyes.

"I'll be there."

At least a dozen stars sprinkled the dark sky, and yet Aphrodite still did not come. Athena was getting angry, thinking that she had been tricked. She had been waiting in the pavilion for hours already, Trying to bear with her impatience, she had even sharpened all her arrows three times over. Now she flipped stones into the pond with fury, making the water splash loudly when the pebbles broke the surface. She knew Hermes was nearby, even though he did not show himself.

At that moment, Aphrodite stumbled through the bushes, her face flushed and her clothes disheveled. Athena could guess what she's been up to, but she could care less. "It took you long enough," she said accusingly.

"The time flew by so quickly, I didn't even know it was dark out! Don't be angry, there are more important things at hand." Her voice lowered to a whisper as she turned her face to my ears, "Look there behind that thicket of roses. If you move the flowers aside you will see an opening. Climb down and keep walking. At the end of the path, jump down. You won't be able to see much in the dark, but the land of the mortals lies ahead." She gave Athena a squeeze on her shoulder and smiled. "Now with Hermes…" her voice trailed off.

Aphrodite suddenly fell to the ground and screamed. She held onto her ankle and cried, "I think I must have sprained my ankle when I rushed over."

There was a rustle in the bushes and Hermes rushed from his hiding place and fell beside the fallen goddess. "Are you okay?" His green eyes were filled with worry as he tried to help her up.

Being the great seducer she was, Aphrodite fluttered her eyelashes and brought a hand up to his chest, "I don't think I can move. Can you carry me to my room?"

Hermes' heart pounded. He had pursued Aphrodite for a long time, but she never cared for him. He was confused as to why she had a change of heart now, but he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He made to lift the beautiful damsel from the ground, but then he stopped. He nearly forgot that he had to watch Athena. This was a once in a life opportunity for him, and he was greatly annoyed with Zeus for giving him the job of guarding his daughter. It was ridiculous that Zeus was acting so protective over a daughter who was a full grown woman. Gritting his teeth, he decided he could shirk his duties just this once and let his passion take over. Aphrodite could change her mind any minute and it may be eons before she notices him again. Turning himself to Athena in irritation he simply said, "I'm going to take her back."

With that he lifted the beautiful goddess from the grass and stepped away. Athena thought it was a pretty picture the two made. Hermes with his golden curls falling over his eyes as his powerful arms carried his beautiful prize who lay gracefully against his chest. As their figures retreated into the dark, Athena suddenly remembered herself. She had to admit that Aphrodite was a very good actress, even though she did not approve of her methods. She forced herself to focus on her escapade and quickly headed to the rosy bush.

**Well, I hope the story was interesting. Anyway, leave me a review if you have time or care enough. That would be awesome! 3**


	2. Chapter 2

Hi guys, I suddenly had some inspiration, so here's a second chapter. I have no idea where this story is going, so we'll just let the imagination go where it will!

Thank you Phooey and doukissa for your reviews! :)

**Disclaimer: I do not own references in Greek mythology—including names and places. **

An Unexpected Turn of Events

At first she saw nothing and only felt the force of gravity pulling her down into… She paused, for frankly, she did not know what she was falling into. Either way she was thrilled because this moment provided her with a freedom she had never tasted. It excited her that she was breaking the rules and her heart pounded with anticipation of the wonders of the mortal world. She could scarcely believe all of this was real.

Soon she saw lights. She thought they were stars, but as she drew nearer she realized they were fires or candles—so many of them scattered across the expanse below she couldn't even fathom counting their numbers. One aggregation of lights caught her eye, for she saw that the lights were moving. When she squinted, she thought she saw arms waving in the air and straining her ears, she thought she heard the sound of cheering and carousing. Perhaps it was a celebration or a festival, Athena thought.

However, as she drew nearer she realized it was no celebration. The cries she heard came from a menacing crowd chanting for the death of another. The victim, a young girl, was tied up and there were two guards standing over her, forcing her down before a makeshift altar. They didn't have to try too hard because she seemed ready to give up her life already.

The onlooker's chants made a terrifying harmony that echoed into the night. "Kill her! Kill her!" Young and old bellowed the same merciless words.

Athena was appalled. Her first glimpse of the human society, and she sees a bloodthirsty and callous group of people ready to murder another of their kind. She didn't know what the cause for the public execution was, but even she could tell the girl looked harmless and incapable of hurting anyone. Her senses told her that there was foul play and she needed to save the poor girl, right away.

She held out her hand and a cloak materialized and fell into her palm. Quickly, she flung it over her body and pulled the hood over her face. She didn't want her identity to be known, lest Zeus already began a search for her in the mortal realms. With graceful agility, she slid down a pillar and stealthily walked in the shadows. As she neared the crowd, she noticed a single woman prostrating herself over and over on the floor. She was crying and another woman was by her side trying to console her.

Athena knelt before the crying women and took her hands. "Can you tell me what is going on?"

The woman shook her head and tried to speak but her words were lost in her wails. She was not very old, as Athena had first thought, but her grief had added years onto her complexion. The other woman spoke instead, "You must not be from Athens, for everyone who lives here must know of the sacrifices. This time it is Agalia's daughter. She has been inconsolable since the news broke out."

Athena stared at the crying woman, who must be Agalia, and then she looked at the little girl on the altar. "Who allows this injustice?" she asked quietly.

"It is Ares, the god of war, who ordains this. He requires a human sacrifice for him every month. This has been tradition for nearly a century now." Her words dripped with scorn, especially when she spoke the word _tradition. _"If we do not obey, he will bring war to our city and many shall die then."

Athena was astounded. She knew Ares was her half brother, but she had never seen him before. He did not frequent Olympus and Zeus never mentioned his son at all. She couldn't believe that the first thing she hears about him is that he is a coldblooded killer. If this was who Ares was, no wonder Zeus never spoke of him. Even she wouldn't want to have anything to do with him. Yet the occasion calls for her to intervene—she could not step aside and let this injustice continue having known the truth.

She stood up and stared at the torches swaying in the night. "Don't worry. Your daughter will be spared tonight."

The women looked incredulous and the crying woman even found her voice. "I beg you not! Nothing can be done and if you interfere, they will kill you too! Ares will not mind seeing two sacrifices tonight!"

"He will be having no sacrifices as long as I am here. Trust me."

Athena turned away from the frantic women who were still trying to dissuade her from her reckless decision. Her mind set, she pushed herself through the crowd, shoving people aside when they refused to move. The people were swarming around the intruder in anger. One man dared to pull her back by grabbing the ends of her cloak. He seemed shocked at her appearance when she turned around, but he remembered himself and jabbed a finger at her. "Watch where you're going," he shouted at her.

Athena ignored him and continued through the crowd. She was relieved when she finally snaked to the front. The girl had since collapsed on the ground and seemed to be unconscious. Her guards were idling and drinking wine, waiting. Just as she was wondering what they were waiting for, the sound of a bell ringing resounded through the temple. Immediately, the crowd was silent. The guards exchanged a glance and a nod before they stepped up to the altar. Two guards hauled the girl onto her knees and poured wine on her face. The girl became conscious again, coughing and gasping for air. "Kneel," one the tall guard commanded.

The girl's eyes were wide with fear. Even as she knelt there she shook her head frantically. The guard slapped her in the face, but that only made her wilder. She was screaming now, screaming for them to let her live. The guard who still had a jug of wine in his hands came over and pointed the tip of his sword in her face. "Shut up or you die now. I was going to end your life quickly, but if you continue to annoy me I will flay you or gut you."

"Or how about I kill you first?"

All eyes fell on Athena. She was standing before the crowd, her spear ready at her side. Her hood still covered her face and her long cloak covered most of her body. She was nearly invisible in the dark.

"Who are you?" The guards inquired, brandishing their swords in front of the stranger.

"Just a passerby who disapproves of this injustice."

"You have no business meddling in our affairs! What we do is legal by law."

"Even laws can be unjust."

"You dare speak against the great god Ares?"

"Gods and mortals alike must be stopped from committing evil."

The drunk guard lunged forward and tried to grab her but she easily evaded him. He cursed and tried to slash at her from behind but only fell into the ground when her spear came down his shoulder. Seeing their comrade on the floor, the other guards ran at her with their swords and spears but she slipped out of their reach and used the blunt end of her spear to send them flying backwards. They scrambled forward in another wave, but she countered their every strike. Before they could come at her a third time, she ran to the girl and pulling the frail body over her shoulder, she raced into a small alley. She did not stop running until she turned many corners and finally lost the crowd. She had seen trees ahead and knew that it would be safest to find shelter in the woods. Sometimes she heard the girl whimper from behind her, and she wanted to stop and reassure her that she was safe. Instead she held the girl tighter, hoping that some sort of comfort was being channeled through their touch. They could not rest til the trees covered their tracks.

"What is your name?" Athena inquired the wide-eyed child.

Hollow green eyes stared back at her from a small, dirty face framed by yellow hair that was shoulder-length. She did not blink when she said, "Phylicia."

Athena raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Well named! Indeed you are a fortunate one." She held her hand out to the girl. "You can call me Anetha. Don't worry you will be safe with me."

Phylicia stared woefully at Athena, "the last night of the month has gone by and there was no sacrifice." When Athena seemed not to understand the gravity of the situation, Phylicia shook her head. "The god will surely punish us now. What are we going to do?"

Athena's gaze met the pair of green eyes squarely. "Nothing," she said. "Leave it to me to handle the god."

"How are you going to stop him? It's not like you can reason with him," she said flatly.

"I'm not afraid to try. I'm pretty sure if I bugged him enough about it he will stop," she joked.

Phylicia smirked.

"You know, you don't act like a kid much."

"That's because I'm not. I'm almost fifteen."

Athena stared. "But you're so…"

"Small? Well starvation does that to you. Add a bit of anxiety and stress and you become stunted."

Athena didn't very well understand. She herself was born already fully mature. At her maximum height of nearly six feet, she easily towered many of the mortals although she was on the shorter end compared to the other gods. Still, she knew better than to judge a mortal, since she knew so little about them in the first place. In the end she said, "I suppose."

"You wouldn't understand. I don't know where you came from but it has got to be better than this place. We live in constant fear wondering who the next sacrifice will be." She paused, "I guess we don't have to be afraid of who's next now, because we're most likely all doomed."

"Are you always this pessimistic? Did you forget that you were doomed just last night, and yet I saved you?"

"Well you just helped postpone my death."

Athena rolled her eyes. Were all mortals like this? She saves one of them and instead of receiving some form of gratitude, she was getting blamed for wrecking their tradition and putting all their lives in danger. Was saving Phylicia a mistake after all? As these thoughts wormed their way into her head, she quickly tried to shake them off. She knew that saving an innocent was always the right thing to do.

"Why can't you just be the cute little girl I was expecting?"

"I can't help being what I am. Life's hardships have ruined me long ago."

Athena arched her eyebrow again. "Well, whether you believe me or not, I will stop Ares."

**Hope you guys liked it! R&R for more :)))**


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